Perhaps the essence of living a Christian life is one that Jesus presents in today’s Gospel reading, and that of course is to love. But Jesus isn’t asking for just any kind of love: nothing superficial, not mere infatuation, and certainly not lust. Jesus insists that his disciples love one another in the exactly same way that he loves them. And he showed them, and us, what he meant by that when he suffered and died on the cross. The disciple is expected to love sacrificially, unconditionally, just as Jesus has loved him, or her.
Perhaps this can be a kind of examination of conscience for us. In this Easter season, we need to be moving closer and closer in relationship with our Lord. So we have to look at our relationships, and see if the love that we show our brothers and sisters is sacrificial and unconditional, the same kind of love that we have received abundantly from our God. We are reminded that we did not choose Christ, he chose us, and gave us gifts we never deserved. Our thanksgiving for that great grace must be total devotion to him.
Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
